Reconnecting with Family
by OutForAWalkBitkah
Summary: While going through one of the worst events of her life, Buffy calls her uncle to tell him the news. How does he take the loss of his baby sister? A second show will be added to the crossover in the 2nd chapter. Rated T just to be safe.


Who do you call when you're mom dies and you're dad is out of the question? Your favorite uncle, of course!

**NO Infringement intended. Joss owns Buffy. MGM owns Stargate SG-1**

Buffy: 5.16 The Body SG-1: 4.22 Exodus

**Sunnydale, 1630 Revello Drive, February 2001**

The darkness outside was ominous. Having just finished her nightly routine of shower, teeth brushing and hair drying, she sat staring at the phone in her hand. Such a simple thing really. All she had to do was push some buttons, put it to her ear, and start talking. The hard part was the number glaring at her from the screen. Buffy's mind went blank. As this was the first real slow-down of the day, her brain took advantage and ran through the events of the last two days.

It was hard for her to put her foot over the threshold. The memories threatened. The empty pain promised. The tears were already there. She was stronger that this. She was the slayer and it frustrated her that of all the things she'd fought, that doorway was the biggest challenge of her life to date.

Buffy shook her head with a huff. _Okay, Buffy quit trying to put this off. Mom's gone and you have to do this_. She took a deep breath as she forced herself through the door. She didn't let it out until her hand touched the book. As she made her way back to her room she flipped through the pages until she found the names she was looking for.

Sometimes Buffy forgot to think that her mother was a person in her own right, not just a woman with the title of Mom. She choked up seeing all the names in her mother's address book. Friends, colleagues, coworkers, neighbors. They all needed to be called. The cable guy, the plumber, the electrician, the paperboy. She would skip those for now.

Then there were several names that Buffy assumed belonged to PTA members. Joyce had even kept in touch with some of the parents she met when she and Willow's mom started that Mothers Object the Occult group. Even though they went so far as to almost burning Willow, Amy and herself at the stake, Buffy couldn't hold it against them, they _were_ under a spell. She knew first hand of the weird, deadly and sometimes down-right wrong things you did while under the effects of a spell.

The glowing phone screen drew her numb brain to horrific reality that her mother was gone. That phone calls and arrangements needed to be made. These were things that Joyce always handled. The millions of small things that she was now drowning in.

After Buffy continued looking, there was a list of names that she didn't recognize. It was that thought that stuck in her muddled brain. Campbell. Campbell? Why was that so familiar? _Ahhh, that's right. Mom said Campbell was Grandma's maiden name. _Buffy couldn't remember ever meeting any of them, though. _Except maybe for that one blond woman, Mom said was a cousin. At least I think she was a cousin. Oh what do I know, I don't think I was even in school yet. Blond lady had a boy though, I remember that. He didn't want to play with me…I don't know why, I was very cool to play with. Okay, I would only play tea party, but give me credit, I was three. _

_Okay, Buffy, focus! Mom's gone and you have to pick up all the adult and parenty stuff…for Dawn. This needs to be done and there's only a few names left._ She looked down at the last three names. Two of them, she was really hoping not to have to call-both for different reasons. _That guy Brian, that Mom went out with the night before…he should know, he seemed like a nice enough guy…he even sent flowers after their date. _Buffy just wasn't sure how to deal with telling him. Then there was the second name….Hank Summers. There had been so much in her not wanting to call him as punishment for leaving Joyce in the first place and then not being around for so long. There was just the same amount wanting to call him and bawl her eyes out telling him she needed him to come home and take care of her and Dawn. Someone to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay. Saving the world on an annual basis is one thing, being in the everyday world without your mom….

Buffy blinked more distracting thoughts out of her mind. Looking at the third and last name, she didn't write it down on the list. She glanced around the room, still darkness, though the sounds of her friends in the other rooms were comforting. She knew they were trying to give Dawn some sense of normalcy, while ready to help out anyway they could at the drop of a hat. Buffy wrote the last number on a separate piece of paper and tucked it in her pocket for later. She would call him when no one else was around.

The next day was spent calling everyone on the list and making arrangements with the funeral home. When night came, the gang left and Buffy was sure Dawn was finally asleep, she took a shower. Everything was fine until the water ran over Buffy's face, the walls came crashing down and she started crying hysterically. The strain of keeping all the shaky emotions at bay in front of Dawn and her friends during the day had reached its limit. She had begun keeping her feelings to herself during her mom's sickness, only letting herself cry once they were asleep. Though, except for that time she cranked up the stereo while washing dishes, it was usually quietly crying herself to sleep. Now, the two nights since Joyce's death, Buffy had really let out-even if still under camouflage.

As Buffy got ready for bed, she realized she hadn't been able to pull herself together enough to go out on patrol tonight. _Spike would have to do for now._ Buffy thought to herself. _Wait, what does that say about me? When I can't patrol I trust Spike to pick up the slack? He's a vampire! Well….Angel had a soul, that doesn't count. The chip in Spike's head that stops him from harming humans isn't the same. COME ON, IT'S SPIKE! _Buffy went for her closet to change into the proper apparel to kick demon butt. Then she stopped herself. _What's rule numero uno? Don't Die. I couldn't __**not**__ die right now. My head's everywhere and although it would be nice to have a chance to take my anger out on something I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my attack dummy of the moment what with the stupid demons and their various idiotically evil plans it would just be my luck that one was hiding in my blind spot. I can't leave Dawn alone. Especially not with a psychotic goddess on the loose looking for her. _Buffy inhaled and huffed. _Hey, slow down. You're about to start babbling at warp Willow Speed. Just go to bed. Believe it or not there are a few things that trump saving the world. Wait, that's not what I meant._ Buffy just shook her head, tired from the long day. On the way to her bed, she picked up her jeans from the floor and remembered that she had stuffed something in her pocket. Taking it out and looking at it again, she just about froze.

That basically brings us back here, Buffy in her kitty pajamas-sitting against the headboard with her knees brought up to her chest. Buffy just stared at the phone, the number already punched in and just waiting to connect. She took in a deep breath and pressed the button to call.

As it rang, a million things ran through Buffy's mind. What would she say? How much would she tell him about Dawn? How strong a front would she be able to put up? As if on cue, the call connected and Buffy shook her thoughts away, there was never a good way to give this kind of news…having to go through a half a dozen security questions and phrases just made it worse. Although, one did make her smile. "Xander is a hottie." Her uncle set it up years ago, after he came to visit during the summer. His little way of teasing her.

Once Buffy was through with the security aspect, she was finally able to get somewhere-or so she thought.

**Stargate Command Switch Board, Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colorado Springs, Colorado**

"Hello, Sergeant Harriman speaking, how may I direct your call?"

"_I'd like to speak with Colonel Jack O'Neill."_

"Ah…yes. Hold please."

Walter didn't know what to do. There's protocol for when a soldier gets a personal call while they're off-world, but SG-1 was having trouble. The Tok'ra believed that they didn't make a safe escape from the supernova blast. Everyone at the SGC knew of O'Neill's team record for overcoming the impossible, but what was never spoken in times like these was the itching feeling everyone got-that this time SG-1 might not come back. Walter pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he hurried down to the General's office.

Out of breath, the sergeant rushed through the door. "General!"

General Hammond usually expected discipline when entering his office, but right now everything of that sort went out the window…his team was in trouble. "Any news on Colonel O'Neill's team?"

"No, sir. I'm sorry, but I just answered a personal call for him. She's requesting to speak with him. I didn't know what to say to the young lady."

"Well, what is the call about?" Hammond asked.

"I don't know. I just put her on hold, before my nerves got the better of me. I didn't want to alert her of any danger."

"That's all right, Sergeant. I'll talk with her."

"Thank you, sir." Walter nodded, and started for the door then hesitated. "She's on line one. It's Buffy Summers, sir."

General Hammond paused a moment and then sighed. _Jack always said she had a special sense of timing_. "Thank you, Walter." As Sergeant Harriman left his office, the general grabbed the phone receiver and steadied his own nerves before picking up. "Hello, this is General Hammond. How may I help you?"

"_Well…I'd like to speak to my uncle but I have a feeling that's not going to happen, is it?"_

For a split second the general's breath caught in his throat, _What? How did she? _

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, I'm afraid you're right. The Colonel is off base and won't be back for awhile."

"Just great! I just _had_ to wait till everyone left and Dawnie was asleep, didn't I? Now, who knows if Uncle Jack will be able to make it."

Hammond didn't want her hating herself for this, especially not now. _If SG-1 doesn't come back… No! I'm not going there, not yet. O'Neill and his team are the best, they WILL come back._ "Ma'am, I'm…"

That got her to stop her ramble. _"PLEASE don't call me Ma'am. Usually I'll let authority figures slide if they call me Miss Summers, and only if they don't say it patronizingly. Just DON'T call me Ma'am. What am I? An old lady you have to help walk across the street_?" Buffy was trying to hang on to anything that allowed her to forget why she called in the first place. After all the phone calls she had to make today, she just wanted to have a semi-normal conversation. Even if it was with a military man.

Hammond cracked up. "Miss Summers, may I say, you are definitely Jack's niece."

"_Thank you, for that highly appreciated compliment." _Buffy actually and genuinely smiled. Then she thought to herself for a moment. Something was tugging at her to remember. _"Hey, did you say your name was Hammond?"_

"Yes."

Then it all clicked and Buffy started cracking up herself.

"Miss Summers, may I ask what is so funny?"

"_I'm sorry. I just realized…wait. Are you bald and wear short sleeves?"_

General Hammond was thrown for a loop. Where was she going with this? Given she was related to O'Neill he was willing to see this through…to an extent. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

Buffy started laughing again. _"I finally get to meet Homer and it had to be over the phone."_

_What? _Hammond thought to himself. _Ah, of course…Jack and his Simpsons cartoons. _He chuckled, but stopped when he heard _"Oh Crap!" _on the other end. "Miss Summers?"

"_You're Hammond, so that makes you General Hammond, right?"_

"That's right. Is there anything wrong?"

"_Well, I don't have the best rep with authority…" _Hammond mentally checked off sense of humor and trouble with authority. Two traits she shared with Jack.

"…_especially with military." _That made Hammond think. _When did she ever have a brush with the military? Hmm, something to look into._

"_And Uncle Jack always said that as much as he loves serving his country, there will always be someone higher than you that wants to throw their weight around." _Hammond nodded. He hated it, but that was the truth. The NID alone could make you want to punch a wall, sometimes.

"_But when he told me about you, he said, 'Hammond is one of the good guys. I'd trust him with my life.'" _The General's chest tightened. _There's her timing again._ With Jack off-world and still no word from anyone that he and the rest of his team would be coming back this time, Hammond took this phone call with Miss Summers as a sign. Hammond's hope just got a boost.

"_Then he said, 'and hey, it never hurts to have a friend that could call in a surgical strike.'"_

Hammond chuckled. "Okay. Now, I'm sorry, but I don't see why you would be upset."

"_I just referred to an Air Force general that Uncle Jack respects very highly to a cartoon slacker that has a Pavlovian obsession for doughnuts. You must really think I'm an idiot."_

General Hammond cracked up. "No, far from it. He's an okay guy and I'd be honored if you called me Homer."

"_Really?"_

"Sure."

"_Okay, then…Homer." _Buffy smiled, she couldn't wait to see the look on Uncle Jack's face when he heard her call his boss, Homer. _"Only if you call me Buffy."_

"Deal. Now, what is that you want Jack for, Buffy? You can leave a message and I'll personally make sure he calls you just as soon as he gets back."

That's when Buffy's procrastination bubble popped. _"Well…" _She wasn't sure how to put it. The line was silent and it seemed that it stayed that way for hours, but it always seems like that when you don't know what to say. _"…Mom died."_

"Oh, Buffy. I'm so sorry to hear that."

"_Thank you."_

"Are you okay, do you need help in any way? I assume since you're calling that it's just you now. I mean, no other parental figure?"

"_Well, I have an old family friend here helping me and we just made all notification calls today. We're going to the mortuary tomorrow to pick out a casket. I just don't know how we're going to pay for all this, Mom's hospital bills ate up most of the money she left behind. But to answer your question, no. My father's not in the picture anymore. " _Buffy hated the fact she couldn't even call to tear Hank a new one, cause the last number they had for him is no longer in use.

General Hammond's heart sank. He needed to help Buffy, Jack was one of his own and by extension, now she was as well. He pulled out a pad of paper and got ready. "Give me the name of the mortuary and tomorrow pick out anything you need, it'll all be taken care of."

"_Oh, I couldn't."_

"Buffy, I don't know if you've heard the saying we have around here, but I take it very seriously. I will NOT leave a man, or woman, behind…ever."

Buffy smiled. _Uncle Jack was right, Hammond is a guy you definitely want in your corner._

After Buffy exchanged the information needed, Hammond tried to reassure her some more. "If there is anything you need and it's within my ability…consider it yours. And like I said, the _second_ Jack gets back…"

Buffy had a teary smile sprouting. The rush of emotion…the feeling of acceptance from someone she'd never met face to face, made her sound like a little kid-and she didn't care. _"Thank you, Homer."_

Buffy reminded Hammond of one of his own granddaughters and his heart melted. "No problem, sweetheart."


End file.
